US 'cracks' Russian consulate in San Francisco

The Russian Embassy in the United States has just released photos and videos proving that the US infiltrated the Russian consulate in San Francisco. The US State Department also confirmed this.

On October 2, the US State Department confirmed to Sputnik that it had entered the Russian Consulate General in San Francisco to ensure security of the consulate's residential area and to make sure that all residents had left.

On October 3, US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said that FBI agents did not participate in the inspection and the door locks were not broken.

Later in the day, the Russian Embassy posted a message on Twitter saying: "To find out where and when they cracked or just go check, follow MFA-Russia."

"We would like to emphasize once again that we do not agree to allow the US authorities to lift diplomatic immunity from the consulate's properties and diplomats."

"We also did not allow the US authorities to invade our building. No one invited the US agents. They were intruders. Their actions were strange and unprecedented in the history of bilateral relations."

The Russian Embassy also added that the actions of the US authorities violated international law and expressed its opposition to the US invasion of the consular building.

Tensions in Russia-US relations have increased after the US accused Russia of interfering in the 2016 presidential election. Meanwhile, Moscow has repeatedly denied all allegations on this issue.

In early August, Washington imposed a new package of sanctions against Russia, prompting Moscow to decide to reduce the US diplomatic presence in the country from 755 people to 455, equivalent to the number of Russian diplomatic staff currently in the US.

Washington responded by closing a number of Russian diplomatic facilities, including the consulate in San Francisco.

After the Russian diplomats left the diplomatic compound, US security personnel entered to search it. The Russian Foreign Ministry said such actions were a violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic and Consular Relations.

According to Vietnamnet.vn